Author: Michał Moch | Pages: 81–87 | DOI: 10.60018/Hemi.BKRF8290
Abstract
Mark LeVine’s book, combining the form of an academic work with a musical travelogue, is a continuation of Heavy Metal Islam: Rock, Resistance, and the Struggle for the Soul of Islam, which was published in 2008, two years before the main wave of political transformation in the Arab countries started. LeVine’s volume is just the newest and one of the most interesting examples of the growing body of texts analysing the central importance of popular music in Arabic popular culture and its influence on the wider sociopolitical context of the region. LeVine makes use of his rich experience as a researcher, traveller and musician, also with experiences of playing or recording with some of the musicians mentioned in the book.